Psionics Glossary
Presented below are a variety of commonly-used terms for ease of reference. They are presented in alphabetical order. 'Ability Burn: '''A special form of ability damage that cannot be magically or psionically healed, even by effects that remove ability drain. It is caused by the use of certain psionic feats and powers. It returns only through natural healing. '''Active Energy Type: '''The current selected type of energy (cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). Most psionic powers with the Energy descriptor deal damage based on the active energy type. Kineticists may change their active energy type freely, and wilders may temporarily change their active energy type during a wild surge; otherwise, a psionic character may change his active energy type when gaining psionic focus. The psionic character need not maintain psionic focus to maintain an active energy type. '''Augment: '''An optional cost in power points that can be paid during manifestation to improve certain powers. The total power point cost is equal to the base power's cost plus any power points spent on augmentation; this total power cost cannot exceed the character's effective manifester level. '''Base Class: '''A class that progresses from level 1-20. '''Character Level: '''The sum of a character's class levels. '''Class Level: '''The level of a character in a particular class. '''Collective: '''A group of creatures joined together by a psionic bond. A collective may, but does not always, allow the ability to share effects and communicate. '''Discipline: '''One of seven types of psionic powers. The seven disciplines are athanatism, clairsentience, metacreativity, psychokinesis, psychometabolism, psychoportation, and telepathy. '''Discipline Power: '''A psionic power that usually can only be learned by psions that specialize in that specific discipline. '''Display: '''A cosmetic auditory, material, mental, olfactory, or visual effect that accompanies the primary effect of a psionic power, as indicated in the power's description. No power's display is significant enough to create consequences (such as damage or a distraction) during combat. A manifester may manifest a power without its usual displays with a successful concentration check (DC 15 + the level of the power). '''Focus: '''See Psionic Focus '''Incorporeal: '''Creatures with the incorporeal condition do not have a physical body. Incorporeal creatures are immune to all nonmagical and nonpsionic attack forms. Incorporeal creatures take half damage (50%) from magic and psionic weapons, spells, powers, spell-like effects, psi-like effects, and supernatural effects. Incorporeal creatures take full damage from other incorporeal creatures and effects, as well as all force effects. '''Key Ability Modifier: '''The ability score modifier for the character's key ability score. For example, for psions this is Intelligence, for psychic warriors this is Wisdom, and for wilders this is Charisma. '''Key Ability Score: '''The ability score used to determine bonus power points, the maximum power level a character can manifest, and the save DCs of powers. For example, this is Intelligence for psions, Wisdom for psychic warriors, and Charisma for wilders. '''Manifest: '''To cause a psionic power or psi-like ability to take effect. The process of manifesting a power is akin to casting a spell, but with significant differences. A power is manifested when a psionic character pays its power point cost. Some psionic creatures have psi-like abilities, which they can manifest without paying a power point cost. '''Manifester Level: '''Generally equal to the number of class levels in a given manifesting class. Some prestige classes add manifester levels to an existing class. Manifester levels from multiple base classes do not stack (they are tracked individually, akin to how sorcerer and wizard caster levels are tracked individually). A character with psi-like abilities, but no class levels in any manifesting class, does not have a manifester level for most purposes, including feat and prestige class requirements. '''Manifester Level Check: '''A check made by rolling 1d20 and adding the character’s effective manifester level. '''Metapsionic Feat: '''A type of feat which modifies a power being manifested. Using metapsionic feats typically requires expending psionic focus (see Psionic Focus) and may require spending additional power points on the power. Any additional cost to manifest a power using a metapsionic feat may not result in the power costing a total number of power points greater than the character’s effective manifester level. '''Mind-affecting: '''A mind-affecting power or effect works only against creatures with an Intelligence score of 1 or higher. '''Mindless: '''A creature with no Intelligence score. Constructs, most oozes, some plants, some undead, and most vermin are mindless. '''Negative Levels: '''For each negative level a creature has, it takes a cumulative –1 penalty on all ability checks, attack rolls, combat maneuver checks, Combat Maneuver Defense, saving throws, and skill checks. In addition, the creature reduces its current and total hit points by 5 for each negative level it possesses. The creature is also treated as one level lower for the purpose of level-dependent variables (such as spellcasting) for each negative level possessed. Spellcasters do not lose any prepared spells or slots as a result of negative levels, and manifesters do not lose access to powers, nor suffer a decreased power point pool. If a creature’s negative levels equal or exceed its total Hit Dice, it dies. '''Network (descriptor): '''A power that carries special benefits when used by a character with a collective. '''Null Psionics Field: '''A field where psionics are suppressed. This can be naturally occurring or created via other means, such as the null psionics field power. '''Power: '''A psionic power is a one-time psionic effect. It is akin to a spell, but relies upon psionic energy rather than magical energy. '''Power Point: '''A measure of psionic energy. Power points are spent to manifest powers or use special abilities. Spent power points can be replenished after 8 hours of rest, akin to casters regaining spent spell slots. '''Power Point Pool: '''See power point reserve. '''Power Point Reserve: '''A character's personal store of power points. A character with a power point reserve gains the psionic subtype and can gain psionic focus, even if the power point reserve has been depleted. '''Power Resistance: '''Power resistance is the extraordinary ability to avoid being affected by powers. Some powers also grant power resistance. To affect a creature that has power resistance, a manifester must succeed on a manifester level check (1d20 + effective manifester level) at least equal to the creature's power resistance. Only powers and psi-like abilities are subject to power resistance; extraordinary and supernatural abilities (including enhancement bonuses on psionic weapons) are not. '''Psicrystal: '''A fragment of a psionic character’s personality given physical form by the Psicrystal Affinity feat. Psicrystal abilities are determined by the character’s total levels in psionic classes. '''Psionic (descriptor): '''A power, item, or effect created by or enhanced with psionic energy, such as a weapon or armor with an Enhancement bonus from a psionic crafter. '''Psionic (subtype): '''A creature with a power point reserve or psi-like abilities. A psionic creature can gain psionic focus. '''Psionic Class: '''A class that grants or requires a power point reserve or psi-like abilities. If a character is a member of a psionic race and chooses to gain an extra power point for taking a level in a favored class, or chooses to take a psionic feat, that does not determine a psionic class; the class itself must grant or require the power point reserve or psi-like abilities. Classes that grant the Wild Talent feat or that require the character be of a psionic race or have levels in a psionc class are also considered to be psionic classes. '''Psionic Feat: '''A type of feat which can only be taken by creatures with the psionic subtype. '''Psionic Focus: '''A psionically-empowered state of mind. Some abilities can only be used while a character has psionic focus. Some abilities can only be used by expending psionic focus; only one such ability can be used when psionic focus is expended. Gaining psionic focus is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. '''Psionic-Magic Transparency: '''The default rule for interaction between psionic effects and magic effects. Under this rule, psionic effects are treated the same as magic effects and vice versa when determining interaction of different effects. Spell resistance is treated as power resistance and vice versa, ''dispel magic can dispel psionics ''and vice versa, ''null psionics fields are treated the same as anti-magic fields ''and vice versa, bonuses against spells are similarly granted against powers and vice versa, and so on. '''Psi-like Ability: '''A psionic effect which can be manifested without paying a power point cost. When manifesting a psi-like ability, the creature's effective manifester level is equal to its hit dice unless specified otherwise. Some psi-like abilities duplicate existing psionic powers; unless specified otherwise, such psi-like abilities are manifested as if the psionic power were augmented to the limit of the creature's effective manifester level. Psi-like abilities are subject to power resistance and ''dispel psionics. They do not function in areas where psionics are suppressed or negated (such as a null psionics field). Psi-like abilities can be dispelled as normal. A creature with psi-like abilities gains the psionic subtype. '''Purely Mental Action: '''An action which can be taken without physical movement, such as casting a spell without somatic or verbal components. All psionic powers and psi-like abilities are purely mental actions to manifest unless specified otherwise, although subsequent actions (such as making a melee touch attack) may not be. A character may take purely mental actions when paralyzed, pinned, or otherwise physically restrained (although a concentration check is required to manifest powers while grappled, pinned, or entangled), but not when stunned, dazed, unconscious, or otherwise mentally incapacitated. '''Telepath: '''A psion who has chosen the Telepathy discipline. '''Telepathy (ability): '''The creature can mentally communicate with any other creature within a certain range (specified in the creature's entry, usually 100 feet) that has a language. '''Telepathy (discipline): '''One of the seven psion disciplines. '''Temporary Power Points: '''Certain effects give a character temporary power points, usually for a set duration (10 minutes unless specified otherwise). Any power points spent are deducted from these temporary power points first (the manifester may spend both temporary power points and power points from his own power point reserve when manifesting). When the duration wears off, any unspent temporary power points are lost. Spent temporary power points cannot be regained through normal means (although the character could gain additional temporary power points through the same or another effect). If the character gains additional temporary power points while existing power points remain, they overlap (they do not stack) so only the highest total remains, and the duration is reset to the latest temporary power points’ duration. '''Trigger (descriptor): '''A psionic power that has a secondary effect that must be triggered by a particular set of criteria. Category:Source: Ultimate Psionics